Method of forming a wire structure



Oct. '18, 1938. E. w. LITTLE METHOD OF FORMING A WIRE STRUCTURE FiledFeb. 12, 1937 INVENTOR. f/awz IV. z/rrLf.

ATTORNEY-5.

Patented Oct. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of forming a wire structure andparticularly to the con struction of bird cages, being an improvementupon the structure disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,835,657, issued toEarl W. Little, December 8, 1931. 1

The preferred method of constructing cages is to first construct thecrown of the cage and then form and shape it over a forming die. To 10.do so requires that the upper ends of the wires be securely locked atthe center and top of the crown to an anchor ring. By reason of the pullon the wires in forming the crown of the cage in various shapes onsuitable dies, the anchoring of the wires to the anchor ring must be sopositive and secure as to prevent their breaking away under the strainsand stresses of the crown forming operation.

It is the object of this invention to rigidly se- 20 cure the ends ofthe Wires in their radiating position to the anchor ring by a simple andrapid stamping operation which will so position and lock them to thering as to resist any dislodgment resulting from further drawing andforming operations and render the crown permanent in its structure.

Other objects and features of the invention will be readily understoodfrom the accompanying drawing and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through the dome of the cage afterforming. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through the anchor ringwith associated wires and the forming dies before forming. Fig. 3 is aplan view of the anchor ring and associated wires after forming.

In the drawing there is shown the top or dome portion of a cage orsimilar structure having radiating curved or formed wire members, therebeing illustrated a circular anchor ring I from which a plurality ofwires ll radiate in their curved or formed condition. If the wirestructure is to be employed for a bird cage or the like, and, forillustrative purposes, there may be provided a hanger comprising asupporting plate l2 connected by the handle bolt IS with a cover plate[4.

The wires II are provided with hook formations indicated at l5 whereinthe free end of the wire is bent back on itself to embrace or envelopthe ring Ill. The hook formation may be provided in any suitable manneron the ends of the wires so as to hook over the inner periphery of thering I0, as illustrated.

By suitable means, not shown, the wires are positioned to extendradially from the ring III, as illustrated in Fig. 3, with their hookedends extending about the inner periphery of the ring I0 and theiropposite ends being equally spaced from each other, and temporarilysupported in recesses P6 of a locating ring IT.

With the wires resting in the proper position on the locating rim I1 andthe hooked ends l5 extending about the anchor ring ID, the anchor ringis placed over a female die member 18 which is provided with an annularupstanding bead IQ of a diameter intermediate the inner and outerdiameters of the ring I0. Associated with the, female die, there is amale die 20 having a downwardly extending tapered centering member 2|and an annular bead 22 of the same diameter and in substantially thesame formation as the bead l9.

With the ring I0 having the wires ll hooked thereover, positionedsubstantially centrally of the dies, the male die is dropped so that thetapered centering member 2| passes through the opening in the ring andwires, engaging the inner surface of any wires which may be out ofposition, forcing and squeezing them into their relative positionsagainst the inner periphery of the ring l0. Thus, as the die membersapproach each other, the hooked ends of the wires engaged by the member2| are properly centered and spaced about the ring Ill. The beads l9 and22 then engage the Wires on each side of the ring ID to mash and flattenboth sides to provide a series of flats, as indicated at 23 and. 24,respectively. The mashed and flattened portions or flats 23 and 24 arethereby caused to wedge and clamp against each other to form a keystonestructure which securely locks the wires to and about the ring and withrespect to each other in such a. permanent and solid construction thatthe wires and ring constitute an integral and solid structure, retainingthe wires in their set, radially disposed and spaced positions.

The central structure is thereby completed in but a single stampingoperation with the radiating wires securely fastened at their ends andextending in properly spaced relation preparatory to a drawing andforming operation for shaping the dome of the cage or similar structure,as illustrated in Fig. 1.

While the invention has been described herein as applied to bird cages,it will be readily apparent that it is equally applicable to any wirestructures wherein a plurality of wires are to be gathered and securedto a common anchor ring.

The invention claimed is:

1. The method of anchoring a plurality of wires to an anchor memberhaving an opening therein consisting in bending said wires about saidmember so as to extend through the opening therein, and stamping saidwires about said member to form a plurality of flats in the wiresextending in interlocking engagement one with the other.

2. The method of anchoring a plurality of wires to an anchor memberhaving an opening therein consistingin hooking the wires to said memberso that they lie adjacent to each other, and stamping the adjacent wireson said member to form a plurality of engaging flats thereininterlocking one with the other.

3. The method of forming a wire structure having an anchor ring and aplurality of radiating wires, consisting in hooking the wires about saidring so as to extend above and below the surfaces thereof, positioningsaid ring and wires over a die member and applying a second die memberthereto by force, one of. said die members having a raised bead thereonin position to engage and flatten the wires to force them intointerlocking engagement.

4. Themethod of forming a wire structure having an anchor ring andaplurality of closely associated radiating wires, consisting in hookingthe wires about said ring so as to extend above and below the surfacesthereof, positioning said ring and wires over a die member having araised annular bead, and applying a die member thereto having acorresponding annular bead, the application of said dies to said wiresforcing the respective beads thereagainst and forming an annular seriesof interlocking flats in said wires on each side of the ring.

5. The method of forming a wire structure hav-. ing an anchor ring and aplurality of radiating wires, consisting in hooking the wires about saidring so as to extend above and below the surfaces thereof, positioningsaid ring and wires over a die member having a raised annular bead, andapplying a die member thereto having a portion thereof extending throughthe ring to force the hooked wires against the inner periphery thereof,the application of said dies simultaneously forcing the hooked wiresagainst the inner periphery of the ring and the bead against the exposedsurface of the wires, thereby forming an annular series of interlockingflats on said wires.

6. The method of rigidly and permanently anchoring a plurality ofclosely associated radiating wires to an anchor member consisting inbending said wires about said member to partially embrace the same, andstamping the embracing portions of said wires against the correspondingsides of said member to form said wires with a plurality of flats ininterlocking engagement one with the other.

EARL W. LITI'LE.

